Well drilling machine



Oct. 28, 1941. V H. w. CARDWELL WELL DRILLING MACHINE Filed 001;. 2'7, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet l I wzwa Zl Oct. 28, 1941.

H, W. CARDWELL WELL DRILLING MACHINE .4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 27, 1938 06L 8, 1941- H. W. CARDWELL, 2,260,604

WELL DRILLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 27, 1938 '4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 28, 1941. H. w'. CARDWELL WELL DRILLING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 27, 1958 Patented Oct. 28, 1941 .poration'of Kansas WELD-DRILLINGTMACHINE if j Harland W. Cardwellpwichi ta, Kans., assignor lto I Cardwell Manufacturing Gornpany lnc a cor-' Applicationoctober 27, 193 s,"sen 1ivo. 237,300 .1 C1aim.. (cease- 7r This invention relates to well drilling machines and more particularly to a well drilling tractor in which all of the various mechanisms for cable tool drilling, spudding, sand line operation, and rotary drilling maybe incorporated in'asingle' power driven portable device. The invention contemplates a power driven portable well drilling machine which may be comparatively small and compact and in which the load on the tractor is so distributed as to provide a well balanced portable unit in the form of a tractor, and wherein the tractor and all of the various associated mechanisms may be operated from a single power source such as the usual tractor'motor.

It is an object of the invention to provide a well drilling machine of the tractor type having a plurality of well drilling'mechanisms associated therewith and in which' all of the mech-' anismsmay selectively be controlled for drilling operations; also in which theseinechanisms are sopositioned as to provide a wellbalanced unit and not materially interfere 'with the normal' operation of the unit as a tractor.

The invention comprises 'a tractor structure whichmay be of theusual so-called track type" or caterpillar type havinga suitable framework or chassis for supporting the variouswell drilling mechanisms, the framework and mechanisms being so arranged that the socalled drilling drum on whichthe drilling "cable is wound may be mounted substantially on the" plane' of "the center of gravity of the tractor. This arrangement of drum mounting is very; desirable i n that the device ordinarily carries a full drum of drilling line which may weigh approximately 6,000 pounds, more or less, when used with cable drilling tools. I

The various mechanisms on the tractorma'y be so positioned that the spudding attachment, is

in the rear of the drum, butclosely associated.

therewith, and the sand line drum is at the rear of the spudding attachment and at the rear of the tractor. This enables the positioning of the, tractor relative to the usualiderrick so that the sand line cable and the drilling cable may both .be operated inside the derrick, which is very de sirable, particularly when using the spudding at: tachment. v

In the operatingposition the-tractor maybe located with the well drilling mechanism within the derrick legs, or a header board may be pro-' vided across the top of the machine with the ends I rear of the machine.

chained down or otherwise-secured to the corners ofth'e derrick;

Another object is the'provision of a tractor drilling machine in which the lighter mechanisms 1 such as the clutches for controlling the'drums are fulldrum of drillin cable maybe carried without tipping hazard. I

'The invention also contemplates a well drill-- ing unit in which both the drilling cable and the t sand line may be controlled from inside the derri'ck. This is accom plishedin the present embodiment'byfpositi'oning the'spudding sheave between the drums with the sand line drum at the Another object is to providea combined rotary drilling, cable-tool drilling, and=sand line operating device in the form of'a comparatively small compact tractor unit preferably having a single power 'source and suitable controls.

A further object of theinvention is the provision of a well drilling tractor of the character described in which all of the controls are within easy reach of the operatorfand in which any of the mechanisms may be controlled independently of other controls or concurrently therewith.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig.1 is a frontperspective view of one embodi ment of the invention.

Fig. 2- isa rear-perspective view of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. .3 is a somewhat diagrammatic top plan view of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2,with the cover. and chain guards removed.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the well drilling mechanism and a portion of the framework on which it is supported.

Fig 5 is adiagrammatic view of the well drilling, mechanism and illustrates the manner in which thevarious elements may be selectively controlled and driven iromthe primemover of thetractor,

Reierri'ng'to the drawings in detail, the embodiment illustrated comprises a tractor portion lv having-the, usual chassis and a motor housing with the usual motor therein. The tractor may be of any suitable type, preferably of the caterpillar type, as shown, and provided with the usual caterpillar tracks 2.

\ In other words, any suit able tractor structure may form the automotive element of the invention. A suitable framework may be mounted on the tractor and secured thereto by any suitable means or may form a portion of the tractor chassis and may comprise a pair of spaced parallel beams3 interconnected and transversely braced by any suitable means. A pair of upstanding angularly positioned beams 4 and 5 is supported on eachside beam iand angularly arrangedwithj respect tb ieach' other to form an inverted \I' with the upper ends or the'beams suitably connected. The beam 5 ex-f tends upwardly beyond the apex of the V, Whereshaft if desired.

I a 2,260,604 r 51 5 {ill 7 be rotatable. The drum may rotate on a fixed A spudding attachment is provided for the drilling cable and is closely adjacent the cable drum as illustrated in Fig. 4. This spudding attachment is preferably somewhat similar to that illustrated in my prior patent, Reissue 20,454,

July 27, 1937, and may. comprise a cable sheave 29 rotatably and slidab'ly mounted onT'a 'shaft 30,

which is, in turn, supported on arms 3 I secured to an oscillatable shaft 32. The sheave shaft may by the upper ends .6 ofthese beamsgareposi-f tioned so that agirt or header board may beg supported thereon or engaged thereby and the entire unit held down by fastening the girt to the legs of the usual derrick, or the header board may be chained down to the corners offthe derrick. The V-shaped frames may be om nected together at their upper ends by means of a transverse .beam;1.,:.Whereby the. structure just described forms a suitable rigid framework for supportingall" of the;well drillingmechanism.

:All ofthe various-shafts forming apartof the, well drilling' mechanism are l mounted atransa versely on the framework? and the entire mechanism and controls arev shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5. r All ofpth'e mechanism. may be driven fromgthe usual power take-off shaft, 8'. The takeoffxshaft may be. provided witha-sprocket 9 and connected in driving relation;-to.=a transverse main drive shaft IU nearthe rear -:of themachine by means .of a chainr-l3fland sprocket I4 secured on the; shaftv l0. The shaft 10, in turn, drives a stub shaft I5 leading 't-herefrom through a variable speed, transmission Nix-This transmission is preferably an eight-speed "transmission Which 'be adjusted to vary the tool stroke by positioning it in appropriate supporting pockets am on the arms 3|. The oscillating shaft 32 is mounted in may be controlled by meansof any suitable f 1 shift lever, connected to--anioperating .link 11, i

countershaft l8 is-mounted adjacent-the apex of j which lin iturn controls; the transmission.

the. v-shaped-iframeworki and is ,driven from the stub shaft-.15 by-meansgyof -a chain I9yand spectiveshaft's;as-:shown 1? suitable sprockets .20 iand' 2| secured to the resprocket 2 6 rotatably mounted-onthe countershaft. The sprocket 261' formsthe driven member of a friction clutch 21-. the driving portion r which is securedto tl'ieshaft' rs; and, this clutch may be controlled' by means or a link" 28 suitably .eonnectedffor operating the clutch to connect o'rre lea'se msur'ivmg transmission to 4 "A drilling-drum rshal'ft' 22Lis"m'ounted in suit- 1 ablei'bearings' on theibeams 5'1and' as low on the framewo'rk' as possible' and substantially on the plane of the center of gravity ofthe'tractor. A

drilling cable "druni"23i' is rotatably mounted on the drum. The -link-28 may,}of'course, be operj atedbymeans of any suitable control handle or 1 lever connejctedthereto, allo f'the controls being.

assembled adiace It"wil1 'be"app'arentthat, with the""mechani sm, 1 just described. the operator may control the ntfthe 'opera'torfs position on the speed of 'the fcopntershaft lji by proper mariipu lation of the link 11 controll ing thereversefand. variable speedftransmission' [ligand manipulation i of jthe'li nk 28 will cause the. driving transmission 1 leading to "the, cable dru'm '23" to]fbe connected or disconnected-as desi'r d .Th'e'shaftfion which 1 thecable' drum is mounted need'fnot'necfisarily "suitable bearings on the frame and provided with aspudder arm 33 secured thereto and having a slot therein as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. A sprocket 35 is rotatably mounted on the cable drum shaft 22 and provided with an outwardly. extending crank pin in the form of a roller 36, whichois engaged in;the;slot 34.; -in .the spud'der arm. The 1 spr0 .kl 3.5 may .be driven from the countershaft I 8. .bymeansgof .a-sprocket 31 ,rotate ably mounted thereon and a driving chain .3 8.- The sprocket 31 forms; the driven member of:-a jaw clutch 39, which-clutch may be controlledby meanspf alink lfl which maybe-provided with downwardystroke toraise the tool, time is per-- mitted forthel-stretch toget-out of the'cable :so; that it -istautat the end of its downward stroke and the tool' thereon is permitted to strike a more powerful blow.;; Thus, if the dwell" were not provided,'the tool might be picked up before it had been permitted. time to deliver an-efiicient blow. Inorder to. provide anefiicient assembly and to enable .positioningall of the parts compactly with thecable drum substantially on the plane of the center of gravity ofthetractonthe countershaft l8 and thenclutch mechanism thereon are positioned substantially .at theapex' ofthe framework and above the cable drum and spudding attachment. Y

Acathead shaft 4! is mounted in suitablebearingsat the rearof the framework, as shown, and in closest proximity to the drill pipe to be, broken out or. made up, and provided withsuitable catheads 42 secured on each projecting endof the shaft. .A sand l-ine drum .43 is .rotatably mounted-onthe cathead shaft, wherebya suitable sand line may be operated in the usual manner. The

shaft .4'lfis also provided with a suitable sprocket Mil-secured theretoi'an'd may be driven from a' friction clutch 45 on the countershaft 18 by eratorsposition. this-means; the sand-.line drum may, bepperated. at any. desired time by,-

manipulation of the link 41 controlling the clutch 45.

Means is also provided for driving the rotary table of a rotary drilling device such as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5. The drilling device may comprise the usual rotary table 48 which is driven by means of a shaft 49 having a bevel pinion 50 thereon and in mesh with a suitable bevel gear on the rotary table. The shaft 49 is provided with a sprocket whereby the table may be driven from a sprocket 52 loosely mounted on the stub shaft l5 and connected to the sprocket 5| by means of a chain 53. et 52 forms the driven member of a jaw clutch 54, which clutch may be controlled by means of a link 55 in the same manner as the control links previously described.

Any one or all of the various mechanisms may be driven at a desired speed or reversed by manipulation of the link I! controlling the variable transmission i6 and all of the mechanisms may be driven from the usual take-off power shaft of the prime mover of the tractor.

A platform 56 is provided on one side of the tractor unit and a seat 51 for the operator may be mounted thereon. The platform may be secured to the side of the chassis, as shown immediately above one of the tracks. All of the various control levers and handles for controlling the motor may be mounted as shown within easy reach of the operator. Also, control handles or levers for the various well drilling elements are mounted adjacent the operators seat and suitably connected to the control links. It is believed to be unnecessary to describe these control elements in greater detail. A removable cover 58 may be provided for the drilling line drum, and various chain guards or guards for other parts of the mechanism may be applied in any suitable manner such as shown in Fig. 2.

Friction clutches are preferably used for controlling the drilling drum and sand line drum and are particularly advantageous in providing accurate control of the drums and obviating the necessity of stopping the mechanism from the prime mover end in order to engage or disengage the clutches, which is necessary every time the drill pipe is raised, and it is very often necessary to raise the drill pipe every few minutes in order to keep the proper weight on the pipe and prevent crooked hole drilling.

A very desirable feature of the invention is that the drilling line drum may be operated simultaneously with the rotary drilling table, which adds to drilling speed, and the friction clutches for controlling the drums relieve the The sprockentire machine of shock which is always present when jaw clutches are used.

It will be understood, of course, that both the cable drilling drum and the sand line drum may have the usual manually controlled clutch associated therewith for permitting the drums to spin freely when lowering the traveling blocks or lowering the bailer into the hole; that is, a suitable clutch is provided between the sprocket 24 and the drilling line drum 23 and a similar clutch between the cathead shaft H and the sand line drum 43.

Modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is therefore desired that the invention be limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A portable well drilling machine comprising, a tractor with a prime mover at the frontthereof, a frame thereon for supporting well drilling mechanisms and extending to the rear materially beyond the tread of said tractor whereby it may overhang the usual well platform when inserted within the usual derrick, a low hung transverse cathead shaft rotatably mounted adjacent the extreme rear end of said frame and terminating in catheads outside said frame, a sand line drum rotatably mounted on said shaft, manually operable means for clutching said sand line drum to said shaft, a transverse drill line drum adjacent the central transverse vertical plane of said tractor, both of said drums being closely adjacent the bottom of said frame, said frame including an upright portion forming a hold down means terminating between and a material distance above said drums, a countershaft on said upright and above said drill line drum and on the same side of said holddown as said drill line drum and having a driving connection with each of said drums, a manually operable friction clutch in each of said driving connections, a variable speed driving connection between said prime mover and said countershaft, a vertically and laterally movable spudder sheave between said drums and below said countershaft and arranged in any position of its movement to direct a drill line cable directly therefrom to the crown pulley of the usual derrick and at the rear of said hold down when said sand line drum is inserted within said derrick with the hold down adjacent the side frame thereof.

HARLAND W. CARDWELL. 

